To Love An Android
by Yokomi
Summary: He had been reckless and perhaps a bit too hasty... Just what was he thinking when he decided to do it? What was he thinking when he decided to protect her? However, Krillin thinks, if it's to see her smile, to watch her live happily by his side, he would never change a thing.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone! I'm back with another Eighteen/Krillin fic! This is a collaboration with **Mr-Herp-Derp**! We hope you enjoy the first chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN DBZ!

 **Chapter 1**

The lavender-haired man held twin half-circles in his hands. Both had the same pinkish hue to them, identical bulges adorned the two shells.

"What in the world are those?" The long-haired kid wondered aloud, sounding just the bit as mystified as the other was, "They look like a couple of turtle shells,"

"Hey! Let me have a look!" his would-be mother demanded rather loudly. Gohan instantly obeyed, flying down from the rundown time machine and holding the two shells out for Bulma. The genius studied the newly acquired pinkish, hard stuff pensively before she put them together that they made a full egg-like shape.

"Well, what do you think, Bulma?" Gohan asked. He could practically see the gears in the blue-haired woman's brain turning as she thought.

"Hmm… My guess is… maybe they're like egg shells or something,"

"Eggshells?" the youngest of the three repeated. Trunks' brows furrowed, "It sure is strange. What comes out of a shell like this?" The woman and the kid shared a confused look before they both glanced at the big hole in the broken time machine's front glass.

"Hey! Maybe whatever came out of this shell made the hole in the capsule canopy!" Trunks sat down on the seat in the capsule heavily. Perhaps the creature that hatched from the supposed egg did indeed break the capsule's cover. But the question remains… Just what in the world is that thing?

"I am Cell. I am an android who has come back from the future. I need to absorb Androids 17 and 18 so I may become the perfect being and hold absolute power!"

Cell had a mission. It was going well. He had already found one of his targets. It won't be long now before he could get his hands on him. He would achieve his perfect form. Then, every living being will know the true terror of Cell.

"Look, Seventeen," he said as he took a few steps closer to his first target, "accept the fact that you are mine! It's easier that way…" He could already see defiance light up the android's eyes and fought back a sigh. Can't the android see? Was he so blinded that he couldn't even comprehend the fact that his fate lies within the ultimate being that was he?

"If you think I'd sit back and let you absorb me," Seventeen snorted, "you'd be sorely mistaken!" He clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth. His ice blue eyes turned colder as he glared at the ugly, green creature. Just as he was about to get into a ready stance, a big hand pushed him back.

"I cannot allow you to do it… Cell," he recognized Sixteen's voice. The broad, green-clad android form was enough to almost completely shield the smaller male's body from Cell's view.

"What are you doing?" Sixteen more forcibly pushed him back and approached their enemy. Cell shook his head. Why couldn't they just give up and hand over Seventeen?

"Cell… I recommend surrender," the huge android spoke in his monotone voice that made Cell's skin crawl and his system swell up with anger.

"I have offered you a peaceful solution, but I'll show no mercy to anyone who gets in my way! Out of my way Android Sixteen or I shall destroy you!" Sixteen's face remained impassive as he got ready for the fight ahead.

It was the redhead who attacked first. Forcing so much power behind his punches and kicks and dodging the strong hits his opponent threw at him. Cell didn't expect a being as large as Sixteen to be powerful and be fast enough to move out of the way of almost all of his attacks. A particularly powerful kick forced Cell into the air. He stopped his momentum and met the approaching android with a quick succession of ki blasts. The barrage hit the target dead-on but Cell wasn't done. He flew forwards at top speed, not giving the android any time to recover from his first attack. He proceeded with a combination of kicks and punches and was glad when the android started showing signs of damage.

Sixteen flew back, the uppercut that would have ripped his head off missing by a bare few inches. He frowned as he surveyed the damage done to his system. The damage Cell had dashed out on him wasn't crippling. Besides, it was absolutely imperative that he win this fight. A few minor scratches would not deter him. Cell could not be allowed to live any longer. If only because he had to protect those he could call his 'friends'.

He noticed Cell powering up at the opposite end of him. With a battle cry, Cell flung himself towards the green-clad android. Their movements would have been but a blur for the untrained eye, but Seventeen could discern most of the fight. He saw Cell aim a powerful punch towards his comrade's jaw, watched as the giant took the hit full-force. Helplessly stood still when Sixteen was forced backwards by the strength behind the punch.

Sixteen landed on his feet and studied his enemy. Again, they clashed, their foreheads colliding painfully. Sixteen fought to remain standing on his two feet as he put all his weight behind pushing Cell back and gaining the upper hand. He never saw the uppercut coming. With a groan, Sixteen's eyes slid shut.

Cell took full advantage of the moment it would have taken Sixteen to regain his bearings and thrust his tail into the android's neck. One of the android's eyes opened in surprise, but he couldn't free himself. He could hear Cell's chuckles and could almost feel his smirk.

"That's it, good boy… Sleep, this won't take long," Cell's taunt reached his ears, but he didn't react. Cell started powering up, attempting to immobilize the giant, "Now, you die!" It was Cell's turn to be surprised when Sixteen's eyes snapped open and he smirked, "What?! Impossible! You should be immobilized!" Sixteen's hand wrapped around the green tail and pulled it off of him. Still with his hands holding Cell's tail in a death hold, Sixteen shouted as he carried all of Cell off of the ground only to throw him towards the Earth below.

Cell's fall provoked an immense amount of dust to emerge around him. A frown creased the android's face as he waited for the dust to settle. Cell didn't wait, however, before he flew vertically upwards. Sixteen didn't waste any time and immediately followed his enemy. Sixteen was able to keep up with the other android, but then, Cell took a right turn. The giant didn't waste any time as he chased after him. Cell suddenly stopped in mid-air, yet Sixteen wasn't quite fast enough to stop his momentum. His thrust carried him straight into Cell's waiting foot.

Sixteen was forced back again; he didn't let that stop him, however, since not soon after he had regained his composure, he was heading straight for Cell, headfirst. Sixteen head butted the green being into the rocky terrain and followed with a punch. His hit missed as Cell flew upwards to avoid it.

Knowing that trying to immobilize his enemy with his tail would be useless, he opted to capture Sixteen's neck with it instead. He then proceeded with circling his opponent till he was right in front of him and readied a strong ki blast. Sixteen's eyes suddenly widened; laser shot out from his blue eyes, singing his adversary and provoking him to lose his hold on the green-clad android's neck. Cell was forced onto the ground with a strong kick.

After that, Sixteen landed on his tail, causing the fallen fighter to screech in pain. Sixteen twisted and turned the long appendage, he pulled with all his might until, finally, he had cut the tail off that the white bon was clearly visible. Cell's screams grew louder when his tail was removed and thrown to the ground, writhing like a lizard's tail would.

"That should put a stop to your absorbing capability," Sixteen spoke over Cell's loud groans and pain-filled whimpers, "Now you are like a bee without a stinger," Sixteen glared down at the android as his screams died down.

"Not exactly," Cell stated as he pulled himself up, "When bees lose their stingers, they're gone for good; the bee dies," The odd creature yelled loudly as he forced his tail to grow back, a peculiar green liquid dripping off of it, "But when Cell loses his tail, he just grows another one," he ignored his enemy's surprised grunt, "Since I have Piccolo's cells inside of me, I too have the ability to regenerate my body," he informed, "I love the Nameks; an amazing race… they should be honored that their cells were used to create the one perfect being! They should be honored that they were used to create Cell!" he said, ending his proud speech with an over-confident round of laughs.

Cell's wagging tale clearly showcased his arrogance and sense of superiority. He shook off the liquid coating his tail. In turn, the substance caused the rocks, the plants as well as the ground to dissolve.

"I thought I had the solution but I did not. You are bound to have a weak point somewhere though,"

"Is that so? We'll see,"

"This time I shall rip off your head!" Sixteen's declaration only provoked Cell to laugh sickeningly.

"You'll have to catch me first!" With that said, Cell power up and charged at his opponent, Sixteen following suit instantly. A powerful aura surrounded Cell as he aimed a punch to the other android's jaw. Sixteen fell to the ground, groaning in pain and screwing his eyes shut.

"So much for that strategy. Now, do you have any more tricks or can I get on with my work?" Realizing that Cell was about to attack, Sixteen detaches one of his hands, which shoots in Cell's direction, knocking him back and giving Sixteen enough time to hurl Cell onto the ground in the process. Sixteen knew that the situation was now much more desperate than he had initially thought. He absolutely had to get rid of this Cell. With that thought in mind, he had no doubt in his mind that he would have to use that technique.

Sixteen detached both his hands, putting them both under his armpits, revealing cannons within the remaining limbs of his arms. It only took a moment for the cannons to charge before bright light shot out of the android's arms and into the hole he had forced Cell into.

"Hell's Flash!" Sixteen yelled out his most powerful technique's name as he stood over the dark hole. Slowly but surely, his attack started getting bigger and bigger, the flash growing ever brighter until a giant explosion occurred, breaking the rocky terrain and forcing indents of various shapes and sizes to litter the whole island.

"I can't believe it… Sixteen beat Cell," Seventeen couldn't quite the amazement from showing in his tone.

"Why are you still here? I told you to leave this place!" he questioned angrily as he reattached his hands.

"Hey… You squashed the bug. What are you so afraid of now?" Eighteen stated with a smile.

"That attack was not enough to finish off Cell. It is imperative that you leave immediately! You, too, Seventeen! Don't give Cell the chance to absorb you!" he ordered rather harshly.

"Don't worry, Sixteen. It's obvious that you're stronger than Cell. I admit that I was scared there for a second," he scoffed, "But with your strength and ours," he spat to the side, "Nothing can get in our way. Soon, we'll have this whole world as our playground!" Just as he said that, a large, green creature emerged from the hole behind him, his huge frame dwarfing the black-haired android's own. Cell didn't give Seventeen the chance to escape before his tail's end expanded and started absorbing one of his targets. The redhead gasped loudly as his comrade was slowly absorbed.

"You should have listened to your friend!" he said, ignoring his target's muffled cries for help. Sixteen watched helplessly as the boy was sucked into the creature's body. He watched as Cell groaned lowly, couldn't do anything as Cell's body started to glow mystifyingly, his groans turning louder with each glow. The bewildering glow shone too brightly that Sixteen had to cover his eyes. Infuriatingly slowly, Cell's body grew broader, his feet and hands changed shape and his mouth lost its beak-like structure.

"Eighteen, come on, we must not allow him to absorb you, too!" Sixteen said hurriedly as he rushed towards the female android. He stood in front of her like a shield as they both noted the changes to the android. His, now, cold blue eyes had a certain light to them as his body glowed with static, "He wants you, Eighteen! We must go!" he shouted as he ran towards her. He hastily grabbed her by the arm and dragged her with him. With speed too much for them to comprehend, Cell was suddenly in front of them, blocking their path. Sixteen threw Eighteen behind him, further away from Cell as he regarded the obviously stronger warrior.

"You can't escape me, it's over! You had a small opportunity to defeat me, but now, it's too late!" Cell spoke, his deep voice a stark contrast to his previously scratchy one. He spun around and caught his own reflection in the blue water, noting and admiring the changes to his appearance. In an attempt to catch him off guard, Sixteen attacked Cell. His punch hit the being squarely in the face, but he was unaffected. Eighteen's warning came a minute too late, and Sixteen found himself on the receiving end of Cell's enhanced ki blast. He was flung back and fell ungracefully onto the ground.

With her shield out of the way, Eighteen turned around and started to run away from the monster that would surely absorb her.

"Please Eighteen, do not run. You're all I have left to absorb to become the perfect being. You should feel privileged,"

"All I feel is disgusted," she countered. Taking a few steps back and getting into a ready position, she decided she would try and defend herself at all costs.

"Wait!" a new voice interrupted both androids and they both glanced in the direction of the newcomer. He was a much shorter man, barley higher than Eighteen's knee. His bald head shone brightly in the sun, with six dots emblazoned into the skin on his forehead. He wore a bright orange outfit with blue boots. He glared at Cell, a fierce look in his eyes. "You want her, Cell? Then, you'll have to get through me!" Krillin exclaimed. No time to chicken out, now, he thought, I am going to win this!

 **Author's Notes:** We hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Please leave a review and tell us what you thought! Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:** Hello everyone. Mr-Herp-Derp here to continue this story that Yokomi has started. So, I need to get this off my chest: This idea isn't totally our own. The idea is based on the video game Dragonball Z Budokai on the Gamecube and PS2. The idea is based on the alternate Cell story after finishing the main story. I won't spoil it, but I also can't link it to you. Anyway, that aside, my biggest fear is holding Yokomi back.

 **Disclaimer:** WE OWN NOTHING!

 **Chapter 2**

The green insect like giant looked down at the little bald man challenging him, like looking at a child who was trying to defy their parent.

"Little boy, play time is over, let the grownups take care of things," Cell mocked, shaking his head in ridicule of his challenger, "Do you really believe that you can pose any threat to me at all? I could crush you with mental thought alone,"

"If that's true," said Krillin, "you obviously aren't thinking; I'm still standing," Cell only scoffed in response.

"Have your fun while I let you keep breathing," he said, then without warning, flew blindingly fast at Krillin. Before Krillin knew what was happening, Cell launched his knee into his torso. The little monk slid backwards like he was on an ice rink, his feet kicking up dust, then collapsed to one knee, trying to catch his breath. Cell didn't give him a chance and grabbed his head, squeezing, causing Krillin to yelp in pain.

Eighteen couldn't believe her eyes. This little man who clearly liked her, yet knew next to nothing about her, was sacrificing his life, like it meant nothing to him, for her sake. Cell was easily three times his size, and well over three thousand times his power level. She felt the rage swell in her chest, her fists clenching without her realizing it.

"Leave him alone, you monster!" she shouted without even thinking, and she vaguely wondered just why she cared about the bald monk. Although that guy, Krillin, was doing this for her, she didn't have any reason to care about him at all. So why did she? She didn't have a ready answer, and that scared her almost as much as the idea of being absorbed. Her outburst didn't garner any care or sympathy out of the not so jolly green giant. If anything, it gave him a one up over her. He picked up the little bald man by his cranium and held him out to her.

"Do you care about this little bald punk, Eighteen? Does seeing him suffer break your little, cold machine heart?" His mocking made rage boil further, provoking to involuntarily growl. Cell laughed maniacally at her reaction.

"Then you can weep at his grave," he paused for a second as if in thought, "Oh, but you won't get the chance… you would already be absorbed by then," Cell threw Krillin on the ground so hard, it knocked the wind out of his lungs, a cloud of dust rising. Cell didn't let Krillin move, stomping on his chest so hard, there was the sickening snap of breaking bones. Krillin roared in agony, yet managed to wiggle out of Cell's hold and launch an attack. Before the attack could connect, Cell raised his hand and drove a backhand into Krillin's cheek.

Krillin flew to the side, and rolled to a stop, He tried to lift himself up, his arms shaking, but that was a battle he could not win, and his head hit the ground like a sack of anvils, fresh blood pooling on the edge of his mouth. Was he dead? Eighteen didn't know, but she had bigger problems right now.

"So pathetic," said Cell, then turned to Eighteen, "Now, if there are no more interruptions, it's time to go."

"Not yet," spat Eighteen defiantly, striking the ready pose. Cell smirked, then lightning fast he shot his tail at her. Its speed totally caught Eighteen off guard. Just as the tail was about to get her, something unanticipated happened.

"WAIT!" cried a voice, and Eighteen felt something, or someone, give her a shove. Krillin was in the path of Cell's tail, and he didn't have the chance to change the path. The tail wrapped around the little man, and Cell couldn't make it stop.

"NO!" He cried, "NOT YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! NO!" Cell began glowing again, screaming, half out of fear, half out of pain. His size plummeted from towering over Eighteen to just at her kneecap. When the light cleared, she could see the new Cell.

He was much less dignified, a bright orange with black dots, a symbol on his chest, matching the one that was once on Krillin's gi, and the six dots Krillin had on his head in the same spot. He was panting like he just ran a marathon after being lazy for a year, his breath getting raspier with every inhale and exhale.

-oOo-

"That freak is gonna pay for what he did to Krillin!" Yamcha said, his fist clenched so hard that it was shaking, "I swear, if it's the last thing I do!"

"He lost a lot of power," said Tien, keeping a level head unlike his scar faced companion. He planted a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Yamcha, it's payback time," He said with hardened resolve in his voice. Yamcha nodded, and they both flew up into the air to land in front of the orange android. Tien tapped his fists together, ready to beat some vengeance into the little monster, but Yamcha blocked him with his elbow.

"I'll take care of this by myself," he said, determination shining in his eyes.

"Well now," said Tien, folding his arms across his chest, "you seem confident." Yamcha chuckled.

"Of course I am," he said, walking towards the new enemy, "He had the audacity to attack one of my best friends! I'm not gonna let him go unpunished!"

"I'M NOT GONNA LET SOME PUNK LIKE YOU WALK ALL OVER ME!" The orange android yelled, his mannerisms somewhat resembling a child having a temper tantrum.

"Just wait till you get a taste," said Yamcha, drawing the lines of battle, "of the legendary Wolf Fang Fist!" Eighteen felt like she should intervene, but was having her own battle inside. On the one hand, if these two could kill this monster, then Cell wouldn't be an issue anymore. Yet on the other hand, maybe it didn't need to be like this; maybe her savior could be saved himself.

The little monster dove into the air, faster than Yamcha could register, and planted a kick into the side of his face. For someone as small as he was, he was still going to be a handful. Yamcha spun around, but managed to recover quickly. He had to win this fight, for Krillin. He flew forward as fast as he could, and managed to slam his fist into the midget's face. He flinched, but recovered quicker than Yamcha had anticipated and countered with a blow to the gut.

Yamcha recoiled, and nearly stumbled, which allowed the monster to follow up with a flurry of punches and kicks. Cellin smirked, this was going to be an easy fight.

"What's the matter, Yamcha?" taunted the tangerine terror, "can't you handle my power?"

"Shut up!" Shouted Yamcha. This wasn't going how he had planned. He couldn't let this monster get away with what he had done to his best friend, yet if this kept going the way it was, avenging Krillin would be the least of his concerns. Cellin warped behind Yamcha and delivered a powerful kick to the middle of his back, knocking the wind out of him. His vision started to go black, and Yamcha knew he couldn't keep going much longer.

Cellin seemed eager to get him out of the way, as he drove a powerful kick into Yamcha's face. Rendered completely unconscious, he collapsed on the ground in a heap. Cellin panted somewhat, before chuckling madly.

"Well, that was disappointing!" he cried, "That fight wasn't even fair! You seriously thought that scar-faced moron could even begin to compare to me?" Cellin raised a hand, prepared to finish him, when suddenly a voice from above stopped him dead in his tracks.

"NOT SO FAST!" it cried. Cellin looked up to see Tien powering up a move.

"What?!" his voice betrayed his bewilderment, "What is that?!"

"It's my Tribeam!" yelled Tien as he launched it. But the explosion occurred much earlier than he had expected, before it had the chance to reach Cellin. When the dust cleared, he registered what had happened. Android Eighteen, for some reason or the other, had stopped his best move. A tense stare down ensued between the three eyed man and the blonde woman. The damage she sustained was obvious, but it wasn't anything too drastic.

"What have you done?!" Tien hollered angrily, "This was our chance to get rid of Cell once and for all! What were you thinking?!"

"We…we can't kill him yet…" Android Eighteen replied evenly.

"How come? Do you want him to absorb you and put an end to humanity? This was your plan all along wasn't it?" Tien studied the woman with untrusting eyes, "What are you going to do?" He couldn't fight both Android 18 and Cellin at the same time, it would simply be too much for him.

"Your bald friend," said Android 18, "might still be inside that thing… I believe he's in there, somehow, somewhere… Alive. We should try to get him out. I want to try… I owe him that much,"

 **Author's Notes:** That's what I got for you, I hope that Yokomi isn't held back by my lack of ability to write a decent fight scene.

 **Yokomi's Notes:** I think you did pretty well! Amazing if I may say so myself! What did you readers think?

 **A Reply to the Review on Chapter 1:**

 **Danny15SJ:** Thanks for your kind words! We hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

 **Thank you all for reading this chapter! We hope you are enjoying this story so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone! Yokomi here! It's my turn to write the chapter, so I'm sorry for the long wait and I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I OWN NOTHING!

 **Chapter 3**

"How could he be alive? If you're just spewing nonsense, android," Tien left the threat hanging in the air and Eighteen had to hold back a snort. That three-eyed moron could never scratch her if he tried. She didn't let that show on her face and settled for displaying mild annoyance instead.

"Do you or do you not want to try and get him out?" She stated in monotone. His gritted teeth and clenched fists were all the reply she needed.

"Fine… what did you have in mind?" he asked.

-oOo-

Unbeknownst to the two outside, there really was a bald man, alive and kicking, inside the little demon. Krillin woke up quite suddenly, in what seemed to be a black void filled with eternal darkness. He could see his hands clearly, as if there were a source of light somewhere, unseen. His instincts kicked in and he instantly jumped, fully alert. He had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was pushing Eighteen out of the way only to get absorbed by Cell himself.

He was quite fearful of what was waiting for him here. Was it hell? Was he dead? It didn't feel like he was dead; he was breathing normally, and as he pinched himself, he discovered that he could also feel pain. What was he supposed to do now?

Just then, something to his far right caught his attention, being the only other thing besides himself in this dark place. He couldn't see it clearly from here, but he could tell it was green and tall. Self-preservation and curiosity fought in his mind. On the first hand, if he were to approach the strange being, it might attack him and he would end up dead for real, his survival instincts told him. However, if he were never to approach the creature, he would forever be locked up in this place, unable to find a way out. On another note, he wouldn't ever find out who shared this space with him either.

He weighed his options carefully, imagining outcomes and deriving solutions. Finally, after what seemed like centuries but could only be a few minutes at the most, he made up his mind.

Curiosity had won over after all.

His gut told him to turn and flee. _I'll only get close enough to see what it is, if it's a friend or a foe; then, I'll be on my way,_ he argued.

He treaded carefully towards it, his steps slow yet sure. Once he was close enough, he could finally make out what-more like, who- the being was. Cell, the almighty green insect-like creature, stood before him, back turned. _Well… he's definitely a foe. Better get going, then. Fast!_ He thought as he slowly turned in his place and walk back the way he came, silently but much quicker than how he had come.

"Stop right there!" How had he even heard him? He was being careful not to make any noise, "I already knew you'd be here," Cell said as he closed in on him, "I was here to look for you and get rid of you… but it seems that you have found me, making my life a whole lot easier," Cell stopped and Krillin slowly turned to meet his gaze, "You're the reason I, the next perfect being, have been reduced to such a weak, short, orange fool!" He hollered, "By killing you, I will return to my normal self, and have a greater chance at achieving my goal and true destiny!" Krillin's thoughts were jumbled. He had no idea what to do now. It seemed that he had escaped imminent doom, only to land in Cell's deadly clutches instead.

He got into an uneasy fighting stance as Cell prepared to attack. He had survived fighting the mutant once before. He couldn't see why he couldn't do it again.

-oOo-

Meanwhile, in the outside world, Tien and Eighteen were shocked when the little orange thing closed its eyes as if asleep while it should have been ready for any oncoming attacks. They decided to let the creature dwell in its trance-like state as they thought of a plan; it worked well for them, after all.

"Let's recall the facts," Eighteen said, earning a roll of the eyes for the trouble, to which she didn't retaliate, "Cell has absorbed Krillin through his tail. It hasn't been that long since that had happened, so there might be a chance that Krillin hasn't gotten broken down and added to Cell fully yet," Eighteen pursed her lips, "But the question remains… how can we get him out?"

"It would be a lot easier if we knew _where_ Cell sends his victims once he absorbs them," Tien remarked offhandedly and Eighteen silently agreed.

They shared ideas, coming up with plans before each and every one got shot down. Tien internally sighed. This will take a while.

-oOo-

Krillin jumped backwards, once again dodging a strong punch thrown at him by his opponent, and marveled, not for the first time, at how easily evading his adversary's hits was. The midget considered avoiding another attack before deciding against it and catching his enemy's fist in his palm instead. With his other hand, he punched Cell's jaw, surprise quickly coloring his face when he heard something crack.

Had Cell suddenly become weaker? Or was he stronger? However, that couldn't have been. It hadn't been that long since he had fought him, and then, he was wholly and utterly mercilessly beaten. Was it this place that made this possible? If that was the case, then he was glad. At least for once in his life, he wasn't being useless, but he was actively helping in defeating the bad guy, not just sitting on the sidelines, waiting for one of the Saiyans or the more skilled warriors to handle the situation.

He was forced back into the present when he heard Cell's body hit the ground. He hadn't realized just one punch could make Cell fly all the way there. Despite knowing that this was probably this unusual place's doing and not his own power, he still felt giddy and not a bit proud. If he could kill Cell now, he would save everyone, including but not limited to the beautiful blonde android.

Not wasting any more time, he flew towards his fallen opponent and got there in record time. He forced the green being into the air with a well-aimed uppercut, following him swiftly and bombarding his fists down on the creature's head. He followed with a flood of ki-powered blasts, hoping that this would get the deed done. After a while, he stopped the blasts and waited for the smoke to clear.

Cell moaned in pain as his senses finally came back to him. What was wrong with him? Why was he facing such a problem? Why couldn't he beat this small, idiotic midget, when only an hour ago, he could easily do so in the outside world? _Ah… that might just be it,_ he thought to himself. Perhaps this place was giving that bald fighter a handy power-up. If that was the case, then he had no high hopes of winning against him, not here.

He painfully got up to his feet, ignoring the dull ache of his jaw and his body as a whole. He narrowed his eyes at the airborne warrior and contemplated what he must do next.

"So, Cell, care to tell me where we are?" Krillin asked, "You know where we are, don't you?"

"I do know," Cell replied haughtily, "but that doesn't mean you should as well. I'll be seeing you later," he assured before his figure vanished from sight.

Krillin dumbly looked at the place the being had occupied a moment before. His eyes flitted over the area surrounding him once again, met only with never-ending black. He was alone now. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh before he picked a random direction and marched on.

-oOo-

Eighteen and Tien were startled once again when their opponent's eyes suddenly shot open and he had the most furious expression any of them had seen complete with his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits and teeth gritted in raw, pure rage. They vaguely wondered what had provoked such a reaction; the creature was practically seething. They could barely make out the words 'stubborn', 'midget' and 'complete control' as he seemingly spoke to himself.

"Well, at least now we're certain Krillin is still alive… for now," Tien whispered loud enough for Eighteen to hear. She nodded slightly.

"We still haven't figured out a way to get him out, though," she replied evenly. Tien sighed; she was right, everything they had come up with so far had been completely and utterly useless.

"What now?" he asked his new (temporary, he didn't trust her completely yet) ally. The android shook her head.

"Let's wait for him to make the first move," she said, watching their still fuming opponent with careful eyes, prompting Tien to do the same.

-oOo-

Krillin walked for what seemed like hours, his legs tired and his feet sore, before he could finally make out something at the opposite end of him. With a cry of joy at finding something other than complete emptiness, he hurried, not paying any mind to the sharp streaks of pain his poor feet were undergoing.

His footsteps slowed, however, when he came upon something that looked like a machine of sorts. It had various buttons all over, some of them glowing in different colors, others innocently bulging out of the noise-making device. Upon closer inspection, he could see wires protruding out of the machine. He followed the wires until he reached…

"Cell?!" He was sure his eyes were bulging out of his head as he looked at the being connected to the machine, "so this is where he went," he said more to himself than anyone else. He wondered what would happen if he removed the wires from the green creature.

Arguing that he would be able to win a fight against this Cell if it came down to it, he decided to take the risk.

-oOo-

Both human and android couldn't hold back a slightly noticeable wince when Cellin's angry glare diverted towards them. Cellin made a noise in the back of his throat that could only be described as a growl.

"I may not be able to absorb you in my current state, Eighteen, but rest assured, your time will come," he stated through clenched teeth, "As for you, human, I refuse to allow any of you pesky creatures to get in my way again. Prepare to die!" he yelled as he attacked in a flurry of anger. Tien was getting ready to defend himself while Eighteen got into her own fighting stance.

Thus, they were both surprised when, instead of landing a hit, Cellin landed face first onto the ground, unconscious.

The two shared a look. What was happening with that orange, little evil demon? Tien hoped that this was a sign that Krillin really was alive and this was all his doing. Unbeknownst to him, Eighteen's thoughts were traveling along the same line. Now that Cellin was unconscious, perhaps they could tie him up somewhere as they worked for a way to get Krillin back.

-oOo-

Cell's eyes snapped open, and Krillin impulsively took a few hurried steps back.

"Pesky little human," Cell growled as he stood to his full height, menacingly towering over the bald midget, "Can you not mind your own business? Do you have to keep interfering with my plans?" He glared down at the man and Krillin glared right back, courage flooding through his veins, cowardice long-forgotten, "I'll get rid of you first, then," Cell stated, "After that, I'll make sure that every single one of your race perishes by my hand,"

"Sorry, Cell, but I can't allow you to do that," Krillin said stubbornly, "Threatening my race automatically makes this my business," he continued, "so I hope you're ready… because I'm not holding back!"

 **Author's Notes:** We're done for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please tell us what you thought of this chapter by leaving a review or a pm! Thanks for reading! Till next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes:** Herp-Derp here. I am sorry this took so long, but it did because (insert lame excuse here). Anyway, here's the chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** WE OWN NOTHING!

 **Chapter 4**

His body ached, his forehead was dropping sweat bullets faster than a machine gun, and his muscles begged for him to stop. None of these registered for him, however, as he pushed himself off the ground again.

'Ten thousand nine hundred ninety, ten thousand nine hundred ninety one,' he counted as he did one handed pushups in the special room his beloved had made for him. And although he hadn't given her what most would consider a proper thank you, he used this room religiously. But right now, his blue haired bride wasn't the one on his mind.

'That blonde witch!' He screamed in his mind, 'I'm going to wipe that smirk off her face. She's going to be begging me for mercy, but I'll blast her so hard she'll be blown to bits, and then I'll sell her for scrap metal. That'll show-' his thoughts were breached by the sound of a gentle chime. He grumbled, remembered the string attached to getting this room.

 _"When you hear the chime,"_ his wife had explained, _"it means the doorbell is ringing. And I've set it so that this turns the room off, and it won't turn on again until you answer the door. You know, like a normal husband."_ That last sentence was half a threat, and half a gentle reminder that this marriage wasn't normal; she was married to an alien after all. An alien who once wanted to kill her entire race, herself included no less. Vegeta growled at the insistent ringing on the door and stormed to the front door.

"If it's that darn shoe salesman again," Vegeta snarled, "I'll punch him so hard he'll need to sell shoes from a full body cast!"

…

Meanwhile, outside the door, Tien stood next to Eighteen, who had wrapped the still comatose Cellin in a steel cord. This wouldn't hold him forever, but it was a start. Tien snapped his fingers, remembering something.

"You should go hide," He told Eighteen. At first she wanted to scoff at him, but then she remembered; the man she beat up with ease lived here, and he'd be none too happy if he saw her. Considering that they needed him in the best mood they could have him in, she walked off, still holding Cellin, and hid behind a corner of the house, out of view, but still able to listen in. Just in time too, because the door swung open. Tien didn't get the person he hoped for, but he'd probably know where the right one was.

"What do you want?!" demanded Vegeta, "You're interrupting my training."

"Is Bulma home?" asked Tien, "I need her help on-"

"YOU INTERRUPTED MY TRAINING FOR THAT?!" Vegeta yelled loudly in anger, but then he growled out, "She's at Kakarot's place."

"Tha-" Tien began, but the door slammed in his face,

"And if you touch that doorbell again," he heard from behind the door, "I'll rip your finger off and shove it so far up your…" His voice trailed off, indicating he was going back to his training, but Tien got the message. Once Vegeta was out of ear shot, Eighteen walked back up to the three eyed man.

"Well, he was _charming_ ," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Tien chuckled, despite this woman being only his temporary ally.

"You should see him when he's really mad," he said jokingly, then he got serious, "Let's go then." The pair took off. Somehow, thankfully, Cellin hadn't budged an inch since he fell asleep.

…

Meanwhile, at a small house in the middle of the woods, two women sat at a small table, drinking tea and talking about their husbands. One of them, a woman with ebony hair in a bun and clad in a purple dress with orange shoulders, was listening intently as the other, a cyan haired woman with an orange jacket, black pants and black shoes, talked animatedly. The two women talked and laughed as the minutes ticked by.

"Oh, you should have seen his face," said Bulma, "I thought he was gonna blow up. To think, the Prince of all Sayians doing simple chores around the house to be allowed to use the Gravity Room. And to make sure he lives up to it, I made the Gravity Room turn off when the doorbell rings," The two women burst into laughter. Their laughter was cut short, however, when a knock suddenly resounded on the door.

"Gohan," Chi Chi called into the back of the house, "Can you get that?" A door swung open, as a teenager with black spikey hair came out.

"Okay Mom!" he said obediently as he went to the door. When the boy let out a surprised yelp, the two women came to see what the matter was. Both women freaked out, making quite a racket. Eighteen tried to speak over them, but they couldn't hear her over their own panicking. Eventually, Eighteen had enough.

"SHUT UP!" she yelled, silencing the women, and causing the boy to get confused, "If I wanted it, you'd all be dead already. But since you're not, I'm here on friendly terms." Now that they had their attention, Tien spoke up.

"Bulma, can you help us with…him?" Tien gestured towards Cellin.

"And why would I want anything to do with that monster?!" Bulma demanded sounding very defensive. She didn't want any part in interacting with this thing, thank you very much.

"This monster absorbed Krillin," Tien said. Silence fell upon them like an atom bomb.

"It's a long story," Eighteen said, "You might as well put on a pot of coffee." The statement was half suggestion, half excuse to get inside, put the freak down, yet keep him in her sights.

…

Krillin dusted his hands off, as Cell lay unconscious on the floor, his chest rising and falling as his body tried to breathe.

"Now to take a look at that machine," he said, and turned around. He could have sworn that the machine was behind him, but now, it was nowhere in sight. Krillin nearly panicked, but managed to keep himself in check. He'd find it again, sooner or later. For now, his best bet was to walk in the last direction he remembered the machine being. So he began to walk, not as tired as he should have been from the fight he had just had. But suddenly, his foot caught something, causing him to trip. He rolled onto his back to see what it was. He could barely make out a black square, jutting out from the ground.

"What the heck is this?" he asked himself. His instincts told him to push down on it, and he did. A loud hissing sound made him jump. He whipped around, afraid that some new monster, one he couldn't brush to the side like an annoying fly, had found him. Steam seemed to be shooting out of the floor, and parts of the floor began to peel back like a cellar door. There seemed to be light emitting from the new threshold. Krillin peered into the hole, to see a flight of stairs leading to a pool of light, but it was too deep to see beyond that. Krillin debated with himself for a few minutes, before deciding to take the risk. He stepped onto the first step.

The stairs were much smoother than he had counted for, which caused him to fall onto his butt and slide down till he reach the bottom with a yelp. When he reached the bottom, his back and bum were sore to high heaven. He shot to his feet and rubbed the soreness out of the affected areas.

"Youch," he said to no one in particular, "that's gonna hurt in the morning."

"Who's there?" came a new voice, almost causing Krillin to jump out of his skin. That voice sounded familiar, very much so. He dared to respond.

"Seventeen," he called, "is that you?"

"Who the heck is asking?!" snapped the voice, "you're not Cell, so who the hell are you?!" Krillin finally gulped and squashed any cowardice he was feeling. He walked towards the voice. 'It _is_ Seventeen…' he thought to himself as he regarded the android who was locked in a prison cell.

"I remember you," he said to Krillin, "you're that midget who has the hots for my sister." Seventeen snorted, "Gonna get this out there now. Get real, punk, she's too good for you. You are way out of her league. You'd be lucky to get a midget cleaning lady under that stubby arm of yours."

"You know," said Krillin, slight mischief in his voice, "I was thinking about letting you out, but you can forget it now." Seventeen looked at him, a mixture of annoyance and surprise on his face.

"Not like you can," the ebony haired android shot back at him, "Like it or not, I'm part of this monster now. Getting out's not gonna happen. How the heck did you trick Cell into absorbing you anyway?" Krillin figured he may as well spill the beans.

"Well, I tried to protect Eighteen from Cell outside," he began, "but he beat me easily. I feigned defeat, and when he tried to absorb her, I pushed her out of the way. I had meant to give us a chance to escape, but I got absorbed myself. Now I'm here, yet I'm the one brushing Cell aside with ease. Then I tried to find some machine I saw him in, and the rest is history."

"As little as I want to believe you," said Seventeen, "I know you're telling the truth." A confused look slid across the monk's face.

"Really?" he asked, "How come?"

"Do the math," Seventeen said with his tone dripping with annoyance, but for some reason he was holding back the urge to insult Krillin again, "Cell wasn't designed to absorb humans the same way he absorbs us. He absorbs humans for a snack, basically. When he wants a big jump in energy, he absorbs us. But the way he absorbs us is different from how he absorbs you. So by treating you like an android, albeit accidentally, he loses power because of your lack of it." Krillin nodded, shuddering at the image of clothes that used to be on people, laying in a street that used to have life. But this brought up another question,

"Wait, if he absorbs humans too, why aren't they here?"

"Think of it as humans being food. They get digested. We androids are like batteries." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "I can't believe I just compared myself to a battery, but I can't think of another analogy that would make more sense."

"By chance, would you know about that machine? He was plugged into it, and talking. He mentioned 18 and Tien." Krillin informs the android he was starting to see as an ally… for now.

"That device is what allows Cell to control his body." Seventeen explained, somehow chillingly calm, "If no one is hooked up to it, the body is out cold. Since he's got your energy, you may as well try to use it. Worst case scenario, it rejects you."

"I was trying to find it, before I found this place."

"Here, use this." Seventeen took something form his pocket and tossed it to Krillin. It almost looked like the Dragon Radar, but was a putrid green shade, and felt almost slimy in his hands, only without leaving residue on his hands. "This will help you track that thing. Cell used it for a bit, but then he dropped it and left it here. Since I'm gonna be here until Cell dies, assuming that ever happens, I have no need to hoard it."

"Um...okay. Thanks Seventeen." These were words he never thought he'd ever say to the black-haired android.

"Yeah, yeah," said Seventeen dismissively, as if he was tired of being helpful. Krillin knew when he was unwanted.

"I'll be going then." Krillin started to leave, expecting an insult from the teenaged android, but nothing came.

…

It took longer than Krillin wanted to admit to climb the stairs, but he made it out. He nearly expected to be ambushed by Cell, but he saw neither hair nor hide of the green monster. He held up the device and pushed the only button. The screen came to life, but rather than a dot telling him where the machine was, it was an arrow, pointing dead ahead. Krillin decided the best plan was to just walk in that direction until the device said otherwise. He started his trek.

After what seemed like a few hours, he finally found the device. He sat in the chair, and suddenly the wires began to crawl on his skin, feeling like insects. Krillin had to fight his urge to brush them off. When the wires took their places on his body, his vison went black.

…

Back in Chi Chi's house, she'd put on the coffee, and served it, albeit reluctantly. The orange monster had been placed on a chair, in view of everyone. The tension was palpable in the air, in fact it felt so thick you could cut it with a knife. Eighteen didn't want to drink the coffee, but was tired of hearing the housewife complain, and wasn't in the mood to fight, so she took a sip from time to time.

Suddenly, the orange and black mass on the chair started to twitch, causing everyone to freeze and look at the monster. Tien and 18 braced themselves in battle positions while the others hid behind the kitchen counter. Soon, the monster's eyes snapped open. He sat up straight in the chair, looking around, before seeing Eighteen and Tien.

"Guys," he said, "I'm glad to see you. It's me, Krillin!"

 **Author's Notes:** We hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review to tell us what you thought, and we're sorry for the long wait! Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** Hi! It's me, Yokomi! We'd like to take this chance to thank you all for your continued support! Each and every one of you :D We hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** WE OWN NOTHING!

 **Chapter 5**

"…Krillin?" Tien started in confusion, "But how?" His eyes narrowed, not trusting the other for a second. _Cell could be controlling the body and trying to convince us that he's Krillin, and then, when we let down our guard…!_ He noticed, as he glanced at Eighteen, that he wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. The orange creature rubs the back of its head in a very Krillin-like manner.

"It's a long story, actually!" The voice belonged to Cellin, but the manner in which the exclamation was said screamed that it was really Krillin talking.

"Enlighten us," Eighteen said, her emotionless tone not wavering at all as she spoke. Krillin did not understand why Tien was being hostile towards him. He didn't understand why _Eighteen_ was acting like he was still an enemy; he saved her life for God's sake! But then again, he wasn't exactly in his own body. This was Cell's body… and he just had control over it temporarily. Maybe their apprehension wasn't completely unfounded after all.

"I understand why you don't trust me," He says matter-of-factly, waving his hand in the air and not liking the way Tien's and Eighteen's eyes seem to follow his every move, "But at least hear me out before you dub me as the enemy!" The two share a look.

"We're listening," Tien said at last with a sigh. Krillin didn't even attempt to fight the smile that split his face in half. He ignored the collective shudder that shook his companions' bodies. _Guess it's not a pretty sight… I am in Cell's body, and Cell is really ugly!_

"When I got sucked into Cell, I thought I was done for!" He started the story from the beginning, "But then, I woke up and saw Cell, the big green one! We fought and I won, somehow! Not even I am sure how I did that," Krillin muttered, "Then Cell disappeared, so I went to search for a way to come back here. On my way, I found this machine and Cell was plugged to it by some wires. So I fought Cell again and won, but then the machine was the thing that vanished next!" He was rambling and he knew by the continued disbelieving stares of his companions that they weren't buying the story, although it was the truth, "Then, I found Seventeen in there as well! He was locked up in some sort of prison though, but he gave me a device that helped me find the machine. I woke up in this world when I plugged myself in, and that's all!"

Tien looked like he didn't believe any of the story he just heard. It was simply too _farfetched_ , too _unbelievable_ , too _unusual_. It couldn't be the truth because it wasn't anything normal nor usual. _But then again, there is nothing normal in our world, is there?_ He thought to himself wryly, his mind bringing up images of super-powered Saiyans and green Namekians he had come to think of as friends.

Eighteen wasn't much better off either. The whole story was too unrealistic to be believable. Which just made her think that it _was_ the truth. No one could come up with something as implausible as this, especially not when they wanted people to actually believe them, "Assume we believe you," She says shortly, and by the way Tien's shoulders relaxed a bit, she knew he agreed, "What's the next step?"

If Tien was having doubts about this being Krillin for real, then he probably didn't have any lingering suspicions now, "But that's it, y'know… I was hoping you would tell me," Krillin said with a weak laugh, "We have to find a solution fast… it's only a matter of time before Cell finds me again. Remain alert at all times,"

-oOo-

Goku was feeling fine. He was getting ready to start training in the forest near his home. His brows furrowed in confusion, however, when he started tiring out way too quickly. Only two thirds through his warm up, and he was already breathing irregularly when these exercises didn't even cause him to break a sweat normally.

He was sweating too much by the time his warm up was over with. His heart beat too loudly that it hurt his chest. His arms hurt him, the pain throbbing strongly to reach his collarbone and his jaw. His back and abdomen felt like they were on _fire_ , and even Goku, for all his lack of medical knowledge, knew that that wasn't a good sign.

Thus, he wisely decided to relax for a while. However, the thought of leaving training did not sit well with him. He would just be postponing it for a few minutes, just until he was feeling better, until he was feeling well enough to continue his rigorous training.

He smiled, enjoying the greenery around him, the chirping of the birds, the telling noises of scurrying little animals, the sheer peace surrounding him. Goku took a deep breath, closing his eyes, taking pleasure in the air that tickled his face and played with his hair. He let out the breath slowly, enjoying the quiet of the forest, save for the comforting sounds of nature.

His breath was even by the time he opened his eyes again. He figured it's safe and okay to train again. It wasn't like him to stay seated for too long anyways. He stood up quickly and almost immediately regretted it. His feet weren't quite strong enough to hold him up.

"Woah!" Goku exclaimed as he tried to balance himself with his arms. It took some effort to stay upright when the world was tilted to a dangerous level like that. Goku strained his eyes to try and keep his head from spinning as much as it was. He took a few deep breaths, letting them in and out slowly. _I wonder what's wrong…_ He thought with a shrug. He tried to throw a punch, but his whole body followed it and he fell to the ground in an undignified heap. _If Vegeta were to see me like this, he'll laugh himself to death!_ Goku thought with a laugh of his own.

"Maybe training isn't such a good idea for now…" He said to no one in particular, but maybe if he spoke the statement out loud, he'd be more convinced to go back home. He had gotten out of the house without letting anyone know. They were all overreacting after he had collapsed. And really, Goku just wasn't _made_ to stay in bed for such a long period of time. He felt well enough for training, but it seemed that he was wrong on all accounts.

He sighed in disappointment. _So much for training today…_ He started heading home at a frighteningly low pace. He was afraid he'd faint again if he went too quickly. Flying back home was out of the question. What if he blacked out while he was in the air? He'd fall to the ground in a crumbling mess, probably never to wake up again.

He shuddered at the thought of dying like that. He wasn't that far from his house, so it won't take him that long to make it back before Chi-Chi noticed he was gone. And if his wife _had_ noticed his unannounced departure… Goku got ready to hear a lot of screeching just in case. He understood that Chi-Chi worried about him. But her worry was unfounded most of the time. He could handle anyone and anything! A mere disease won't kill him… really.

He convinced himself of that easily enough, despite the throbbing pain and burn of his heart, the pure pain he felt in the majority of his body. He made it to the house, although it took him a lot more time than he had anticipated. He bit his lip and used his ki to get to his bedroom window, left purposefully open after his exit. He got to the window in one good jump, thankfully enough. Goku wasn't entirely sure he could handle another jump like that.

He threw himself on the soft mattress of his and his wife's bed, glad that it felt really comfy beneath his body. And the best part? _Doesn't look like Chi-Chi found out about my escape!_ He thought to himself joyfully. Goku covered himself with the blankets he had previously thrown off.

Soon, Goku was caught in the vice-like grip of a dreamless sleep, his exhaustion and pain forgotten in favor of rest. He knew he'll feel better when he woke up again.

-oOo-

The three fighters brainstormed together, voicing out ideas and shooting them down just as quickly, "But what if we-?"

"No,"

"But you didn't even hear what I have to say!" Krillin argued, his high-pitched voice irking even him.

"Fine, what?" Tien asked just to please him, _although I'm sure it won't be a good idea._ That part he kept to himself for obvious reasons.

"We should go ask Piccolo! He has experience with sharing a body with other people, so maybe he knows what we have to do!" Krillin said excitedly.

"It's not the same thing. Cell's way of absorption and Piccolo's are similar but not the same," Eighteen ignored Krillin's grumbling.

"We'll think of something later… but we have to get you out of here for now. What if Cell regains control while we're still in the house?" Tien pointed out. The other two instantly agreed and the three headed out of the house, waving at the occupants of the house as they went.

-oOo-

Inside Cellin's body, in the eternal darkness, a tall figure stood alone. A smirk twisted the creature's features as he found his target. He watched the steady and rhythmic rise and fall of his target's chest, thinking about how easy it would be to kill this trespasser right here and now, to get rid of him once and for all.

"Found you, baldy," Cell's voice echoed through the space, "I hope you're ready to die!"

 **Author's Notes:** Sorry in advance for the cliffhanger :P We hope you liked this chapter and please leave a review! We'd like to hear what you thought of this chapter! :D

 **A Response to the Reviews on Chapter 4:**

 **LazulyEva:** Thanks for the review, we both appreciate it! :D Hope you liked this chapter as well!

 **Warden of Lore:** Thanks! We'd like to hear what you thought of this chapter as well :D

 **Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** Holy crap guys, has it really been this long since I gave a chapter? Crap, I'm sorry. That's not acceptable. Well, I hope you guys, Yokomi included, can forgive my forgetful self.

 **Disclaimer:** WE OWN NOTHING!

 **Chapter Six**

"It'll be easy," Cell sneered, "Just like breaking a toothpick in half," He extended his hand while pointing out his index finger, figuring just a simple, little blast to the head should tie up this short, bald, plan ruining loose end. He attempted to channel his energy to his finger and manifest it as a blast, but nothing came.

"What the?" He wondered out loud and narrowed his eyes, figuring Krillin couldn't hear him. He tried again, but still nothing came, "You have got to be kidding me!" Cell burst out to no one in particular, "Thanks to this little nuisance, I can't even use my Ki!" The green alien decided to scrap the idea and just go for the direct approach instead. He landed in front of Krillin, who hadn't budged an inch, and wrapped his bony green fingers around his bald head.

…

"Well, I'm glad that little monster is out of my house." Chi-Chi exclaimed, knowing she would be hard-pressed to get the image of that ugly smile out of her head, "I just hope they can get Krillin out. He can be annoying at times, but he's Goku's friend… He certainly didn't deserve… that,"

"Yeah," said Bulma, a touch of melancholy in her voice. "Well, I should head home, start running over some ideas," Bulma snapped her fingers like she just realized something, "Shoot, I wish I had thought about that earlier," She muttered to herself as she turned to Gohan, "Next time you see Tien, can you ask him if he can try to get a blood sample for me?"

"Sure," The young half Saiyan acknowledged with a nod. It was normal to be confused when Bulma asked for something.

"Okay, you've had a nice little break," Chi-Chi told her son while clapping her hands once, "Now… get back to studying!" Chi-Chi shouted firmly. Gohan stood up in a snap and bolted to his room. After bidding Bulma farewell, Chi-Chi prepared a salad and walked into her bedroom. When she saw a figure on the bed, she dropped the salad and screamed in horror.

On her bed was a man she recognized as her husband, but something was horribly wrong. Goku was asleep, but it didn't look like he was napping peacefully. His skin was ashen pale, his hair frizzy and drooping. His breathing was labored, like any breath could be his last. Chi-Chi bolted over and touched his forehead, thinking he may have a fever, but the reverse was true; his skin was cold to the touch.

"Oh god!" she cried, dropping to her knees and gripping her head, "No, no, no, no, no, no! Please let this be a bad dream! Please let this be a bad dream!" She slapped her cheeks and pinched her arm, hoping she'd snap awake in her bed, with her husband beside her, right as rain. But her false hopes were realized, as the scene did not change; her husband was gravely ill. She stood to run to Gohan's room, but she didn't need to. He ran in with a look of horror on his face.

"What's going on?!" The concern and panic in his voice could not be misheard or mistaken for anything else as his confusion and deep worry made him gulp and look helplessly at his mother.

"Help me get your father to the hospital!" Chi-Chi demanded.

…

The scene was peaceful. Well, as peaceful as it can get when you're hanging out with a little orange monster with your friend inside it.

"Are you sure you've told us everything?" Eighteen asked, "You're sure there isn't some detail you may have overlooked?"

"No," came the answer, the voice irking everyone, even the speaker himself, "I've told you everything I know,"

"Well," Tien sighed and rubbed his temples, "Guess that means we're back to square-" But before he could finish, Cellin's eyes rolled back into his head, and he dropped to the ground like a sack of anvils. Tien and Eighteen immediately tensed up.

"Looks like Cell's back," Tien announced gravely.

…

Krillin snapped back to reality, or what was a reality to him right now, as he was forcefully ripped from the chair. Cell's monstrous face was glaring at him. He was breathing so hard in his sheer rage that Krillin could practically see smoke blowing from his nostrils.

"I hope you had fun!" Cell shouted in the Monk's face, "Because I've had my fill of this!" Krillin tried to launch an attack, even a simple shove, but he wasn't able to connect an attack. Cell spun around a few times, before throwing Krillin like the trash he considered him to be. Krillin flew further than expected before hitting the ground. He bounced a few times, before sliding. To his horror, he realized Cell and thrown him into the cellar where Seventeen was as he slid down the slick stairs. And worse, as he looked up, he realized the doors were closing. Krillin flew up the stairs, only to be greeted with the doors slamming him in the face, knocking him back down again.

Cell smirked, "That should keep you," He turned around, pleased to see the device. He took a seat in the chair, satisfied he was back in full control now, and there was nothing the little pain could do to stop him this time.

…

When Cellin sprang up again, any trace of Krillin was completely absent. The little monster's face was holding a wicked smirk.

"There, that's better," He said, "Finally got that pesky little baldy out of my way," Tien's heart skipped a beat. Was Krillin dead? Was all their hard work in vain? But Eighteen seemed to catch on to something.

"Nice try," She shot at the little terror, "If you killed him, you'd turn back to what you really are!" Cellin's expression soured a bit.

"Fine," he spat, "Let's just say he's… out of commission. He's behind a locked door where he won't be able to interfere anymore," While Tien and Eighteen were able to relax a bit, satisfied that there was still a chance to save Krillin, there wasn't really any cause to celebrate. Cell was back in the game, and he wasn't pleased with his current predicament.

"I'm sick of the sight of bald people," Cellin snarled, pointing a deadly finger at Tien, "You and the rest of humanity are going to be destroyed! Maybe I can't absorb Eighteen, but that doesn't mean I can't kill you,"

"Don't get cocky, Cellin," Eighteen snapped while looking down at the monster, "You can't beat us both," Cellin's face contorted in anger at the condensing comment.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!" the little monster roared, "MY NAME IS NOT CELLIN! I AM CELL! CELL!"

"What's the matter, Cellin?" Tien taunted with a smirk, forgoing his usual serious demeanor as he saw what Eighteen was doing, "Did we make you mad?"

"Laugh while you can!" The monster continued in rage, "Once I get this little baldy away from me, you'll be the first to go!"

…

Krillin pounded his fists against the doors again, but they didn't even budge. He knew he had to find a way out, but how?

"Maybe I could grease the hinges with a little Ki," he muttered, taking a step back, having to work not to slip and fall in again. He put his hands in the appropriate position. He tried to channel the energy to his hands for the Kamehameha wave, but nothing came. After a few minutes of tying, he gave up.

"This place doesn't even let me use my Ki the way I want to," He grumbled. Suddenly, a new voice sprang up, causing him to jump and hit his head on the door.

"Greetings, Master," The voice said, sounding like a computerized secretary.

"Who's there?!" Krillin bellowed and was instantly on the defensive.

 **Author's Notes:** I think that's a suitable place to stop. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with, Yokomi. Sorry for the long wait, everyone.

 **A Response to the Reviews on Chapter 5:**

 **Warden of Lore:** Thank you for your review! We're glad you liked the previous chapter and hope you like this one as well :D

 **Until next time!**


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